Don't look back!
(_W E ' V E_ D O N E_ I T_ F O R_ Y O U ._ )

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Only three more shopping years until the millennium! As the sublime (occasionally) and ridiculous (frequently) year of 1997 draws to a close, we've asked Salon staffers and contributors to write about the year in books, technology, movies, music, TV, family life and travel. We've also highlighted on our home page what we think are some of our best, most thought-provoking articles from the past 12 months. Happy holidays! Don't open all your Salon presents at once! We'll be back toting the barge on Jan. 5. - -_ T H E_ E D I T O R S___________ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - THE YEAR IN REVIEW: Books: The worst books of 1997 By Dwight Garner Our critics pick the worst, and the most overrated, titles of 1997 (12/24/97) The year in books By Dwight Garner Hands were wrung, insults were flung and the future of publishing was fretted over in what turned out to be a grand year for books, after all (12/24/97) The Web: No boom, no bust By Andrew Leonard and Scott Rosenberg Salon 21st reviews the year in technology and the online world The year of living slowly By Andrew Leonard If 1997 was any indication, the clichés of "Web years" and "Internet time" may be out of date (12/24/97) Entertainment: The year in television By Joyce Millman Ellen comes out, Mike Tyson flips out, Fox bottoms out (12/24/97) The year in film By Charles Taylor There were a few shining glories in a lackluster year (12/24/97) Music: High Notes By Salon contributors Nick Hornby, Greil Marcus, David Sedaris and Sarah Vowell on their most memorable musical moments of 1997 (12/24/97) Families: The mother of all years By the editors of Mothers Who Think A mom's almanac of the sad, silly, serious and sublime stories that made news in '97 (12/23/97) Family myths, family realities By Stephanie Coontz A string of lurid cases this year drew attention away from the real challenges that confront American families (12/23/97) Travel: Wires and buyers and scares -- oh my! By Don George Travel's year of living dangerously and digitally (12/24/97) SALON | Dec. 24, 1997

ILLUSTRATION BY ADAM McCAULEY